Why You Never See Mosquitoes at Disney World

[BoarderPhreak]

A recent article on something we've all noticed around the 'World - the lack of bugs, namely mosquitoes. Nothing new for many but interesting just the same. Check out This Is Why You Never See Mosquitoes at Disney World where they list the countermeasures, which center around keeping water moving and not pooling:

- Drainage ditches
- Building design
- Plant choices
- Garlic extract

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

...they also kill them.

 

[Chef Mickey]

They use a lot of DEET, i'd bet. Not everything is natural.

 

[Driver]

A recent article on something we've all noticed around the 'World - the lack of bugs, namely mosquitoes. Nothing new for many but interesting just the same. Check out This Is Why You Never See Mosquitoes at Disney World where they list the countermeasures, which center around keeping water moving and not pooling:

- Drainage ditches
- Building design
- Plant choices
- Garlic extract

They also encourage Purple Martin nesting. Most of the nest boxes are hidden from view or disguised. And bat boxes, they have huge bat boxes all over property. They don't use any single idea, it's a combination of different methods.

 

[jaklgreen]

The only time that I have been bitten at WDW was when I stayed at AKL. They said that they do not spray for them at that resort because of the animals. Any time that I went out in the evening, I got bit. In over 30 other visits, I have never been bit by a mosquito there.

 

[Heppenheimer]

They do, in fact, spray the property regularly, but more like tactical strikes than carpet bombing. If this video is accurate



they apparently use strategically placed caged chickens as sentinels. This way, they can target areas with high mosquito populations.

I think the only place I was ever bit was on the path between the Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness.

 

[Raineman]

I've been to Florida 5 times in my life, and I can honestly say that I have never been bitten by a mosquito while I was there, and didn't really even see any. Now, no-see-ums-that's a different story. Those things are tiny specks of evil.

 

[Yert3]

Kind of amazing. I’m been going to Disney for 23 years and have never seen a single insect. Ever.

 

[King Panda 77]

Been bitten many times by mozzies. At por,akl,pop,cs.

 

[John park hopper]

Disney does an excellent job of mosquito control, I wish Disney would consult with Charleston County SC on what they are doing. There are times here in the country we are over run with them.

 

[Heppenheimer]

I've been to Florida 5 times in my life, and I can honestly say that I have never been bitten by a mosquito while I was there, and didn't really even see any. Now, no-see-ums-that's a different story. Those things are tiny specks of evil.

Try going to the Everglades. I made the mistake of trying to walk there once without wearing any repellent. It felt like the London Blitz.

 

[Master Yoda]

They use a lot of DEET, i'd bet. Not everything is natural.

DEET is a repellent. (the best one we currently have) While they have of course given it out to guests, it is not really used to kill mosquitoes.

 

[King Panda 77]

DEET is a repellent. (the best one we currently have) While they have of course given it out to guests, it is not really used to kill mosquitoes.

Your using it wrong ...

 

[Nottamus]

One mosquito bite in 10 trips...and it was at Pop Century on our last day there 6 trips ago...

Staying at AKL Kidani once...as soon as sun set, an army of bats (maybe 30? more?) did laps around the building at the 5th floor level at full speed. They were like maybe 2 feet off the balcony most likely eating every bug they could find....it was awesome to watch, as they lapped about every 45 seconds...

 

[JIMINYCR]

I saw another report about them setting up traps around property and they count larva growth and types of mosquitoes to tell which areas need more attention.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I don't remember seeing a mosquito in 45 trips there. The bats would be one of the most effective ways to keep the population down. As a side note. I have lived in NC for over 8 years now and have never seen a mosquito here either. Maybe it's me! Perhaps they don't like old blood. Lot's of other weird, nasty looking bugs, but, no mosquitoes. Even at the golf courses that I go too. Lot's of standing water around there. Whatever the reason, I'm not unhappy about that. Up north in Vermont we used to have a lot of them along with swarms of black flies buzzing around your head and defying you not to inhale them and deer fly's. Deer fly's almost take chunks out of you. When they don't and they bite, you don't notice it and something itches so you absentmindedly scratch it. Big mistake. I had one eye close up completely because I scratched a spot near my eye that was itching. For some reason that activates and spreads whatever it is that they spread.

 

[Heppenheimer]

One mosquito bite in 10 trips...and it was at Pop Century on our last day there 6 trips ago...

Staying at AKL Kidani once...as soon as sun set, an army of bats (maybe 30? more?) did laps around the building at the 5th floor level at full speed. They were like maybe 2 feet off the balcony most likely eating every bug they could find....it was awesome to watch, as they lapped about every 45 seconds...

That just sounds so cool to have watched. Any info if that's something that Disney engineers, or at least, encourages, or is it simply a naturally occurring bat population?

On a related noted, a flock of swallows did the same thing on our property up here in rural Vermont. About a month ago, we could barely sit on our porch, but after these swallows swooped around for a few days, only the bees remain now.

 

[Nottamus]

That just sounds so cool to have watched

...it was pretty wild to see....and it was every night of the trip there!

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

I KNOW why WDW doesn't have any mosquitos! Insider alert!!!!

They are all in Northern Minnesota, at my house mainly. Afterall, the mosquito is our state bird!!

 

[Master Yoda]

That just sounds so cool to have watched. Any info if that's something that Disney engineers, or at least, encourages, or is it simply a naturally occurring bat population?

On a related noted, a flock of swallows did the same thing on our property up here in rural Vermont. About a month ago, we could barely sit on our porch, but after these swallows swooped around for a few days, only the bees remain now.

Head to the University of Florida in the summer sometime. They have a couple of bat houses that sport a population of about 400k bats that all pour out of the houses at sunset.



If you ever make it to Austin, the population of the bat colony under the Congress Ave bridge is about 1.5 million.